Self propelled toy



June 25, 1935. J BONANNQ 2,006,156-

SELF PROPELLED TOY Filed Sept. 14, 1953 iillll ll'l' ;5' 4 v I I V UINVENTOR I Joseph L.Bonanno ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1935 PATENTQOFFICE SELF PROPELLED TOY Joseph L. Bonanno, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 14 1933, Serial No. 689,355

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to self propelled, toys; and is more particularly directed toward steering mechanism for controlling the direction of travel or course of such a toy. v

In the present application the invention will be'shown in connection with a spring operated toy boat, although it is to be understood that the'invention, in its broader aspects, may be applied to other toys, such as wheeled vehicles.

The present invention contemplates a steering mechanism whereby the toy may operate automatically over courses of various types. For example, it may proceed in straight or uniformly curved path during the entire unwind of the shift the propeller.

propulsion spring, or it may proceed straight for a predetermined distance, then execute a maneuver (such-as a loop, or turn), and then continue straight.

According to the present invention, the rudder (or other form of steering gear) is biased to a normal mid-position to determine a straight course and is shifted out of said position automatically by mechanism actuated from the propulsion spring so that the direction of travel is changed, whereupon the rudder (or steering gear) is released to resume normal position so that the toy continues in a straight course. In the case of a toy boat, it is desirable to have the boat return to the starting point and to accompish this, the boat is steered onto a course parallel with the original course. This change in course is preferably brought about while there is sufficient stored energy in the spring to drive the toy a greater distance than it was operated prior to the change in course whereby the toy may be brought back to the starting point.

The invention also contemplates that the rudder should be normally free to be controlled by propulsion motor operated mechanism, and that it'may be secured in a fixed position, either for shipping or for maintaining a fixed course, and that, when so secured, the operation of the propulsion motor is not affected by the inability to This is effected by a small flexible connection which bends, when the rudder is'secured in a fixed position, so as to allow the propulsion spring operated mechanism to pass by.

The accompanying drawing'shows, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one of the many embodiments inwhich the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same. In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a boat, the propulsion spring being omitted; 1

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an inverted plan view taken on the plane 33 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the path of 6 travel of the boat. The hull A of the boat maybe made out of two sheet metal stampings one forming the bottom I0 and sides II and I2 and the other form ing the square stem 13. The hull is covered 10' by a deck stamping l4 secured to the hull by prongs l5 bent over onto the deck stamping. In the form shown in the drawing, the propulsion unit B has an upper H-shaped frame plate l5 having four downwardly bent lu'gs' H 16' which pass through holes l8 in inwardly bent members 19 carried by the hull forming stamping. The frame also has an intermediate plate 2! and a bottom plate 22. The plate 2l has lugs 21 received in notches in the plate 22 and the plate 22 has lugs 22' bent over on top of the plate 16. An arbor shaft 23 extends through'the three plates. It is squared at its upper end 24 for a winding key, carries a spring anchorage 25 between the plates l6 and 2|, a'one way clutch 25 spring 26 and main driving gear 21 between the plates 2| and 22, and a fixed pinion 28' below the lower plate. A main or propulsion spring 29 is secured to the anchorage 25 and is adapted to X fill the entire space between the opposite ends 30 of the plate 2| and betweenthe stops 30. The clutch spring 26 is of the common type composed of a plurality of coils which areadapted to tightly grip the arbor shaft and having a free end and an end anchored to; the gear 21 (or arbor shaft). Turning the, shaft by the winding key tends to unwind the coils so that the shaft can slip inside the coils. At all other times the coils I grip the shaft so tightly that the energy stored in the main spring 29is heldback by the gear 21. The gearv train from the main gear 21 includes a nest of gears and pinions on shafts 3|, 32, and 33, for driving a plate gear 34 below the plate 22. This gear meshes with a pinion 35 secured Y on the front end of a propeller shaft 36 bya nut 31. The propeller shaft extends through" a tube 38 and carries a propeller 39. Thistube is received within an apertured pendent member 40 carried by the lower frame member. The arbor shaft pinion 28 meshes with a'large gear 4| of preferably such a size as to beturned one complete revolution during the unwinding 01' a completely wound spring '29. This gearis secured on a shaft 42 by a nut 43, and. carries a post 44 near the centerand adaptedto be brought n85 fixed position (as indicated at 44a in Figure 3) when the spring is unwound. The gear 4| and pinion 28 bring it approximately to this position, although preferablynot quite to I a downwardly bent end 5|] in the path of the pin 44 in gear 4|. 46 is slotted asindicated at 52 and carries a spring anchorage 53. a a I The rudder is indicated at 54. It is carried on a rudder post 55 supported in a tubular well 56 and extending out through the deck stamping |4.

carries a" forwardly and downwardly extending and da h line position.

When the nut 51 is loosened, the rudder will be brought to normal or mid-position by the spring 59, so that the boat will proceed straight as indicated at 6|} Figure 4. When the spring is unwoim'd thegear 4| turns in the direction of the arrow of Figure 3 bringing the pin 44 against the end of the spring, 49. This will shift the lever 46 from the full line position to the dot and dash line position and the rudder 54 to the dot This position is held long enough to cause the boat to turn through a complete circle and a half circle (as indicated at El) so that the boat now has a course 62 parallel with the original course. Uponrelease of the lever 45., the spring 53 restores the parts to normal position and the boat continues along the 62, to return to the starting point.

f Should one desire to have the boat follow a straight coursaor a uniformly curving course, the rudder 5 4 is locked in place by turning the nut 51 dow tightly. The pin 44 will then bend the spring 49 without shifting the rudder. To facilitate packing, the rudder is locked in the dottedline position of Figure 3, and when released the finger 58 enters the notch so that the parts are in normal engagement. I

To hold the propulsion spring'wound, the unit is provided, with a brake shoe 6 5 engageable with a disk '66 carried above the plate gear 34, and under the control of a lever 61 extending up through the deck stamping. I

It i'sj'obvious that the invention may be embodied in manyforms and constructions and I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is, but one ofthe many forms. Various modifications. and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with re- .Sbct thereto.

" What is claimed is; I

IIA steering mechanism for'boats, comprising, a rudder carried on a rudder post, a forwardly projecting finger carried by the rudder post, a longitudinally extending link pivoted on a fixed support to swing about a vertical axis in front of therudder post and having a slotted connection with-the finger whereby the swinging of the shiftsthe rudder, and a spring connecting thafinger and the link and acting to pull the rudder into a predetermined mid-position for ste ri sthe he t str i ht.

It extends through the slot 41 and hasl The rear end 5| of the lever' The upper end of the rudder post is thread-- ed, to receive a nut 51 and the interior portion 2. A steering mechanism for boats, comprising, a rudder carried on a rudder post, a forwardly projecting finger carried by the rudder post, a longitudinally extending link pivoted on a fixed support to swing about a vertical axis in front of the rudder post and having an open slot at its straight, the spring holding the link in position I so that the slot receives the finger when the rudder is free to turn.

3. A steering mechanism for boats as claimed in claim 2, having means for clamping the rudder in selected position to either side of the midposition so that the'boat is steered in a. curved path.

4. A self propelled toy having a spring operated propulsion unit provided with an arbor shaft about which the propulsion, spring is wound, the shaft turning during bothwinding and unwinding of the propulsion spring, the propulsion unit including a one-way clutch adapted to slip during rewinding of the propulsion spring, a gear train driven in one direction during unwinding of the spring and idle during rewinding of, the spring, and a propeller driven by the gear train,

steering means for normally holding the toy on a predetermined course or direction of travel, a member driven from the arbor during both the winding and the' unwinding of the propulsion spring, and a device actuated by the arbor driven member for shifting the steering means during a portion of the unwinding of the spring whereby the course or direction of travel is varied, the device then beingautomatically disengaged from the arbor driven member so that the toy continues in its then direction of travel, the arbor driven member being reset when the spring; is rewound. a 5. A self propelledtoy having a spring operated propulsion unit provided with an arbor shaft about which the propulsion spring is wound, the shaft turning during both winding and unwinding of thepropulsion spring, the propulsion unit including a one-way clutch adapted to slip during rewinding of the propulsion spring, 'a g ar. train driven in one direction during unwinding of the spring and idle during rewinding; of the spring,-

and a propeller driven by the geartrain, steep ingmeans for normally holding the toy Qua predetermined course or direction ofjrevel, a gear driven from the arbor during both thewingk ing and the unwinding of, the propulsionspmg, and a lever actuated by the gear for shif ting, the steering means during a portion ofthe unwinding of the spring whereby the course or; direction of travel is varied, the device thenbeing auto:

matically disengaged from the gear so thatthe toy continues in its then direction of travel, the arbor driven member being reset when the spring is rewound.

6. A self propelled boat having a spring operated propulsion unit provided'with an arborshait about which the propulsion spring is wound, the shaft turning during both'winding and unwlnding of the propulsion spring, the propulsion: unit including a one-way clutch adapted to slip during rewi-nding of the propulsion spring,- a gear train driven in one direction during of the spring and idle during rewinding oijhe pring, and a propeller dr v n y t e sear. train.

a rudder for normally holding the boat on a predetermined course or direction of travel, a member driven from the arbor during both the winding and the unwinding of the propulsion spring, and a device actuated by the arbor driven member for shifting the rudder during a portion of the unwinding of the spring whereby the course or direction of travel is varied, the device then being automatically disengaged from the rudder so that the boat continues in its then direction of travel, the arbor driven member being reset when the spring is rewound.

'7. In a self propelled toy, a rotatable member driven to a fixed point when the toy is propelled, a freely movable steering device means tending to move the device to one position, said device being lockable in said position, and means actuated by the rotatable member to shift the steering device when it is freely movable to alter the direction of the travel of the toy and to then release it so that the toy continues in the altered course, said means including a yieldable spring which, when the steering device is locked against movement, flexes upon engagement with the rotatable member.

8. In a spring motor operated self propelled toy, a rotatable member driven to a fixed point when the toy is propelled and returned through a reverse path when the spring is rewound, a freely movable steering device means tending to move the device to one position, said device being lockable in said position, and means actuated by the rotatable member to shift the steering device when it is freely movable to alter the direction of the travel of the toy and to then release it so that the toy continues in the altered course, said means including a yieldable spring which, when the steering device is locked against movement, flexes upon engagement with the rotatable member when the motor is wound or unwound.

9. In a self propelled toy, a spring motor having a propulsion spring wound about an arbor, a pinion carried by the arbor, a slow speed gear meshing with the pinion, so as to be turned back and forth as the spring is Wound and unwound, an eccentrically located member driven by the gear, a lever pivoted adjacent the gear and having an end engageable with the eccentrically located member during one portion of its travel in either direction, a steering gear having a pin and slot connection with the lever and shiftable by the movement of the lever, and spring means tensioned to urge the lever and steering gear to neutral position when the lever is free of the eccentrically located member.

10. A self propelled toy as claimed in claim 9, wherein the steering gear is provided with locking means to secure it in fixed position, and the portion of the lever which engages the eccentrically located member is flexible to permit the eccentrically located member to pass by without shifting the lever.

11. A self propelled toy as claimed in claim 9, wherein the last mentioned means comprises a tension spring connecting the lever and pin on the steering gear which enters the slot in the lever.

12. In a self propelled boat, a hull carrying a propeller shaft tube and a rudder post tube, a rudder post in the rudder post tube, a forwardly extending finger on the rudder post, a propeller shaft in the propeller shaft tube having an end projecting forwardly of the upper end of the tube, a propulsion unit secured to the hull and propeller shaft tube, gearing connecting the propulsion unit and the propeller shaft, a lever carried by the propulsion unit and engageable with the finger on the rudder post, and a slowly moving member actuated by the propulsion unit for shifting the lever to cause the rudder to shift.

13. A boat as claimed in claim 12 wherein the propulsion unit with lever and lever operating member are in the form of a preassembled-unit which is secured to the hull and shaft tube.

14. A toy boat having a propeller, a gear train for driving the propeller, a spring motor having an arbor shaft drivingly connected to the propeller driving gear train through a one-way clutch adapted to slip during rewinding of the motor whereby the gear train and propeller are not driven'backward when the arbor is turned backward to wind the spring, a rudder, means tending to turn the rudder to a predetermined position so that the boat has a normal course or direction of travel, means operated by the spring motor during unwinding of its spring for temporarily shifting the rudder so that the direction of travel is altered when a predetermined amount of said spring is not yet unwound, and means operated by the arbor for resetting the rudder shifting means each time said spring is rewound past the point at which the rudder shifting means has functioned to shift the propeller, whereby the shifting occurs when there is a predetermined amount of energy in the spring to continue propelling the boat.

JOSEPH L. BONANNO. 

